The Portland daily press., 1887-08-25
THE GREAT AUX.
An American Scientific Expedition In
Search of the Bird.
Montreal Gazette.l

llhohblCdi 0dLCtlC.l
ThefUnited States fish commission schoon-
er Grampus, Capt. j. w. Collins commander,
arrived at st. Johns short time ago, being
engaged on a scientific expedition around
the shores Of Newfoundland. On board are
two scientists-Messrs. Lucas and Palmer
connected with the Smithsonian institution.
The Grampus is in search Of natural history
specimens of all kinds-seals and other ma
rine mammals, birds and their eggs, fish, etc.
The party on board, however, are charged
with special mission-namely: to obtain,
if possible, complete skeletons of the great
aux. remarkable sea fowl, of which no liv-
ing representative has been seen for the last
thirty-five or forty years. 1t is one of the
few birds which, like the dodo of Mauritius
and the Labrador duck. have become extinct
within the memory of living man. Their
living forms will no more be seen on earth,
and hence it becomes a special object Of sci
ence to secure and preserve the remains of
such extinct species. The Great AUX was
once in myriads around these shores, fire.
quenting the low rocky islands of the coast
and extending their wanderings as far as
the Banks. 1t was larger than a goose,
with short legs set very far hack, and re-
| sembled its congener the Penguin in south
ern ATTITUDES. Its wings were so short that
| 1t could not fly, but it used them with great
| effect as paddles in the water. On land it was
almost helpless, and through mans destruc-
tive agency 1t was gradually exterminated.
| The sailors and fishermen of early days used
it for food and its plump body furnished an
| agreeable change from their salted provis-
ions. They landed on the islands where it
| was to be found, knocked hundreds on the
H.
| for fuel as well as food, while its feathers
were turned TO profitable account. In ''the
struggle for existence" such helpless inno-
cent had no chance Of surviving. One after
the other its remotest haunts were invaded !;
its numbers were gradually thinned, and
finally the last great aux was seen on lone
| ly rock mournfully meditating, no doubt, on
| the destruction of its race, which it was soon
| to follow into the still country where ''the
wicked cease from troubling and where the
| murderous arm OF man can no longer pursue
fat innocent auks. For forty years not a
Processes that twenty-eght years ago he saw saw
a crowd of "penguins" or "pinwings," as
they were called, on an island off Labrador,
| but he may be mistaken as to the date. Now
that the Great AUX has disappeared from
TINS earthly scene its value, like many anoth-
| er lost BLESSING, is appreciated, and from the
| Great Republic comes scientific expedition
| to search for its bones, which are become
| precious. No wonder, when in all the muse
ums OF the world only nine complete skele-
| tons are to be found and about forty de-
tached bones, though there are altogether.
| preserved in museums, seventy-two skins, so
that It's form is still familiar A complete
skeleton would now be eagerly competed for
and would bring high price
These enterprisiDg American scientists
have resolved to search for its bones where
It's headquarters were known to have been
the rocky islets off our eastern coast. One
lonely island, thirty miles off the coast, was
known to have been fayorite haunt of the
Great AUX. 1t is called Funk island and is
about half mile in length and quarter of
mile in breadth. Many years ago three
complete skeletons were found here. having
been preserved in the guano deposits formed
by the droppings of sea fowl. They came
into possession of the late Bishop Field. who
sent one to the British museum, one to
AgassiZ, and one to Prof. Newbon. Cam
bridge, England: Thus three out of the nine
skeletons in existence came from Funk island.
The American scientists were advised to
make a diligent search here. Accordingly.
after obtaining pilot, the Grampus shaped
her course for Funk island. To effect land
ing mere Is no easy matter. and can only
pc accomdllshed in very calm weather,
for, there is no harbor or roastead, and the
| rocky 'lslet is exposed to the full swell
of the Atlantic. There is but one land
ing place where boat can approach,
and, 1t is lifted high on the wave, and the
| visitor must watch his chance and leap upon
the rocky ledge. Capt. Collins and his par
ty were fortunate enough to reach the island
| on very calm day and had no trouble in
landing from boat. The weather too, con-
tlnued SO fine that they were able to remain
two and a half days and make a thorough
exploration. Their success appears to have
been complete. and they were rewarded by
iindlng the object Of their search. Full par
ticuiars are, Of course, reserved for their re-
port but writing to the Rev. Mr.. Harvey,
who had been previously in correspondence
with Prof. Baird, fishery commissioner on
the matter, CAPT. Collins says 81 think it is
unnecessary for me to say more than that
we came away from Funk Island entirely
satisfied with the collection made there. /
believe that we got specimens of everything
on the island, animal, vegetable and miner
al Mr.. Lucas losteologist of the expedition
Is very proud OF his success and we all feel
a reasonable amount Of qualification. We
are by no means insensble, though, to the
TACT that we are much indebted to YOU for
the kindly and thoughtful interest you have
shown In this expedition. | am glad that
your name will be so intimately associated
some qualification in learning that we have
carried to successful issue the suggestions
given by you" This letter was dated. Sell
dom-come-by the nearest harbor to Funk
island, July oath; II is evident from this
extract that the Smithsonian, and perhaps
other Institutions, will be enriched by some
skeletons of the extinct bird, though the ex.
act nature of their find" will not be known
lot SOHc Time,
The Grampus has continued her researches
northward to dredge and collect specimens
Of all kinds, and will 90 some distance north
OF Belle Isle Straits, along the Labrador
coast. Capt Collins is charged with the du-
ty of investigating the truth of certain re-
ports which have been received from time To
time Of mackerel having been observed
schooling in large numbers in a certain sea
area off our northeastern coast. There are
strong reasons for believing that there is
some truth in these reports; and should he
be successful in discovering a new fishing
ground for mackerel, our people will be much
more interested In this than in the resurrec-
them greatly for the loss of the plump inno-
cent it, in searching for its bones, live mack
erel were found in paying quantities, and
then, as has been sung in the case of the ex-
tinct Dodo, they could sing,
The Great AUX is dead, so it cannot sing now
But why should cloud overshadow our brow?
The Grampus is beautiful specimen of
naval architecture, yacht-build, capable of
making thirteen knots per hour under favor